XtremeAg: Cutting The Curve Podcast

Host Damian Mason is joined by Sam Coutu to preview the upcoming Quebec field day focused on corn yield trials . This episode breaks down how real-world, field-proven strategies are tested: skip row versus traditional corn planting, high vs. low population density, soybean fertility management, and the impact of late planting. By leveraging soil test data and cross-regional collaboration with U.S....

In this special edition of Cutting The Curve, the farming podcast previews Johnny Verell's upcoming 2025 field day in Jackson, TN. Verell breaks down how he’s using nitrogen reduction strategies and corn variety trials to manage input costs while improving return per acre. With a focus on planting population trials, biological integration, and drone application in ag, he explains the benefits of s...

This episode of the Cutting The Curve – farming podcast features Texas farmer Todd Kimbrell and his game-changing pivot into sesame farming . Learn how Kimbrell diversified with 1,500 acres of sesame using a specialty contract model that includes Act of God protection and logistical support. With no fertilizer and minimal inputs, he’s seeing $100+/acre returns on fields that used to sit idle after...

This episode of "Cutting the Curve" focuses on the critical role of calcium in crop health and nutrient uptake. Agronomic expert Tommy Roach and farmer Kelly Garrett discuss how calcium, often misclassified and overlooked in row crop management, is essential for cell strength, nitrogen uptake, and overall yield. Despite soil containing adequate levels, calcium's availability and mobility to the pl...

In this episode of the Cutting The Curve Farming Podcast, Damian Mason and Kelly Garrett talk with Farm Weird founder Jason Mauck of Gaston, Indiana, about his innovative relay cropping system that grows wheat and soybeans together for 80–90 days. Jason seeds ultra-early wheat in 45″ bands at low rates (300–400K seeds/acre), creating windbreaks and conserving moisture. Soybeans are planted in betw...

This episode of the Cutting The Curve – Kelly Garrett and Mike Evans preview Field Day 2025, revealing how SAP testing enables early detection of nutrient needs, helping farmers stay ahead of stress symptoms and make real-time soil fertility management decisions. By focusing on nitrogen assimilation, cover crops, and balanced nutrition, Kelly and Mike demonstrate how data-driven farming leads to m...

This episode of the Cutting The Curve – farming podcast tackles Yield Management in Extreme Conditions. With fields underwater and replanting happening twice in some cases, Johnny Verell and Brian Adams break down the agronomic decisions they’re making to rescue yield in a season defined by delays. Listeners will gain insights on fertility management, crop planning, and how to build spring resilie...

This episode of the Cutting The Curve – farming podcast highlights Agriculture Education insights from Connor "Vern" Garrett, an Iowa State agronomy graduate. Garrett shares practical advice for high school graduates and young adults pursuing a future in agriculture. He explains how entering college with general education credits already completed allows students to focus earlier on core ag subjec...

This episode of the Cutting The Curve – farming podcast previews the June 2025 XtremeAg field day in McGehee, Arkansas, led by Matt and Layne Miles. Cotton trials are front and center this year. The event highlights ROI fertility strategies, low-nitrogen trials, and partner-led field plots designed to cut input costs and boost yields. Listeners will hear about lessons learned from last year’s plot...

This episode of the Cutting The Curve – farming podcast features Todd Kimbrell sharing his strategies for growing dryland corn , cotton, and wheat in the face of extreme Texas heat. Kimbrell explains how early planting, soil conservation practices, and equipment efficiency help him farm without irrigation in unpredictable climates. Listeners will gain insight into Texas dryland farming, specialty...

This episode of the Cutting The Curve – farming podcast features Fertilizer for Soybeans trials from Chad Henderson’s 2025 Alabama field day. In this episode of the Cutting the Curve podcast, Chad Henderson previews his May 22, 2025, XtremeAg field day in Madison, Alabama. Key agronomic demonstrations include 30-inch soybean fertility strategies, skip-row and circular corn planting, and strip-till...

In this episode of Cutting the Curve, Damian Mason talks with Art Graves of Vive Crop Protection about how fertilizer compatibility directly impacts crop protection efficiency and overall farm productivity. The conversation centers on nano-encapsulation technology, which enables crop protection products—such as fungicides—to blend seamlessly with starter fertilizers, avoiding common issues like pr...

This episode of the Cutting The Curve - farming podcast features a deep dive into the value of hiring an agronomist . Johnny Verell and Brian Adams explain how to build a support system of consultants, crop scouts, and agronomic advisors that improve efficiency, reduce mistakes, and deliver a better bottom line. Learn what to ask for in a scouting contract, how to measure agronomic ROI, and how th...

This episode of the Cutting The Curve farming podcast explores how the faster sprayer system from Dura Products is transforming farm operations by cutting costs and boosting productivity. Temple Rhodes of XtremeAg reveals how his team now fills sprayers in just five minutes, sprays an additional 100 acres per day, and has completely eliminated chemical handling risks. With simplified trailer setup...

This episode of the Cutting The Curve Farming Podcast dives deep into farmland values for 2025. Join host Damian Mason with South Dakota farmer Lee Lubbers and First Dakota Bank’s Nathan Sparks as they unpack what’s driving land prices, how rising interest rates are shaping the ag market, and whether a price correction is on the horizon. Learn how to navigate land purchases, leases, and investment...

In this episode of the Cutting The Curve Farming Podcast, Damian Mason sits down with Kelly Garrett to unpack key insights from the 2025 Commodity Classic. In a tight farm economy, it’s not just about cutting costs — it’s about spending smarter. From adjusting input strategies to leveraging cost-saving technologies, Kelly shares practical takeaways that can help you make better financial decisions...

This episode of the farming podcast delves into soybean planting with Quebec farmer Sam Coutu. He reveals his strategies for April soybean planting, focusing on optimizing fertility timing and adjusting plant populations to boost yields. Additionally, Sam discusses how to effectively utilize recent equipment upgrades to cut costs and enhance crop management. This episode provides valuable insights...

This episode of the Cutting The Curve farming podcast dives into phosphorus efficiency , focusing on how to get phosphorus into soil effectively. Damian Mason hosts experts from AgroTech USA and XtremeAg, who discuss how farmers can raise phosphorus levels in soil through optimized fertility programs. They reveal practical strategies to reduce input costs, improve crop yields, and combat phosphoru...

Thinking about adding grain sorghum—aka milo—to your operation? Lee Lubbers shares why this crop is a game-changer for his farm. From lower production costs compared to corn to boosting organic matter where soybeans fall short, milo is earning its place in his cropping system. In this episode, Lee talks with Damian about his strategy for maximizing yield and nutrient content to command a premium p...

Temple Rhodes did a large scale trial in 2024 eliminating applied dried fertilizer and replacing it with plant-applied nutrients. It worked. So he’s making some big changes to his nutrient application strategy this year to focus on the crop, not just the soil test. A few side benefits include: reduction of salts in the soil, bigger yields, and less cost. Not to mention increased soil biology which...

Strip-till isn’t just about conservation—it’s a game-changer for nutrient availability and soil health. That’s one of Chad Henderson’s key strategies as he heads into the new season. In this episode of XtremeAg's Cutting the Curve, Chad shares why he’s doubling down on strip-till , upgrading his data collection with cost-effective tech for his equipment, and making a major shift from in-furrow app...

Can cutting input costs actually cost you more in the long run? Farmer Matt Miles shares hard lessons from his 2024 season, where saving $50 per acre on potassium ended up costing him $150 per acre in lost yield. He also reveals the hidden costs of skipping crop rotation after a seven-bushel decline in non-rotated soybeans. In this episode of Cutting the Curve , Matt and host Damian Mason break do...

In this episode of XtremeAg Cutting the Curve, host Damian Mason sits down with Kelly Garrett and TJ Kartes to discuss a bold move for 2025— interseeding cover crops into growing corn as early as June. Kelly shares the agronomic, economic, and sustainability benefits of this approach, from erosion control to carbon sequestration and livestock forage. TJ Kartes of Saddle Butte Ag breaks down the sc...

Most farms today rely on data management software and on-implement hardware—but are you truly maximizing these tools for bigger returns and streamlined operations? In this episode, Layne Miles teams up with Ryan Stien to break down Deere’s Operations Center and how it helps Miles Farms make smarter, more profitable decisions. As Layne puts it, “If you missed the technology train, grab a cab and go...

Johnny Verell is on a mission to trim up to $20 per acre in expenses by strategically adjusting his spraying regimen . By eliminating one sprayer pass and an airplane pass, he’s cutting costs without cutting corners. But instead of simply saving, he’s reinvesting—reallocating his nutrient budget and timing fertility applications based on moisture conditions. In this episode of Cutting the Curve, h...